I’ve been playing Monster Hunter games for over 12 years, starting with Freedom Unite on the PSP all the way through Sunbreak and Iceborne. One of the biggest frustrations I’ve had over the years is not being able to hunt with friends who own different consoles, especially when new entries launch. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering will Monster Hunter Wilds be cross platform, and whether you’ll be able to team up with your whole friend group no matter what hardware they own. We’ve pulled together all official announcements and developer insights to answer every question you might have about crossplay for the upcoming open-world Monster Hunter entry.
What We Know Right Now About Monster Hunter Wilds Cross Platform Support
For months, fans have been speculating about crossplay support after Capcom rolled out the feature for post-launch updates of both Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise. Capcom has officially confirmed full cross-platform play support for Monster Hunter Wilds at launch, during their 2024 Tokyo Game Show keynote presentation. That means you won’t have to wait a year or more for a post-launch update to play with friends on other platforms, unlike previous entries in the series.
The decision to launch with crossplay wasn’t a last-minute call, either. Developers noted in a follow-up interview that cross-platform support was one of the top requested features from fans after Rise launched, so they built it into the core of Wilds’ multiplayer framework from the start of development. This also means crossplay will work for all game modes right out of the gate, not just limited casual hunts.
We don’t have any details about region locks for crossplay yet, but based on Capcom’s recent track record with other games like Street Fighter 6, it’s almost certain that crossplay will be available globally. You’ll be able to hunt with players from other countries as long as you have a stable internet connection.
Which Platforms Will Support Cross Play For Monster Hunter Wilds?
Cross-platform support for Wilds only applies to the platforms the game is launching on, and there’s no planned support for older console generations. Last-gen consoles including PS4 and Xbox One will not be supported for Monster Hunter Wilds, as the game is built exclusively for new-gen hardware to support its massive open world, dynamic weather systems, and 16-player public hunt lobbies.
All supported platforms will have full crossplay and cross-save functionality with each other, with no restrictions between storefronts either. The full list of supported cross-platform features includes:
PC players who buy the game on either Steam or the Epic Games Store will also be able to play with each other, and with console players, without any extra steps. That’s a big improvement over Monster Hunter World, which originally locked Steam and console players into separate pools for nearly two years after launch.
If you have friends who still game on PS4 or Xbox One, you’ll want to let them know they’ll need to upgrade to a new-gen console or PC if they want to join you for hunts in Wilds. There’s no planned cloud version for last-gen consoles either, according to Capcom’s official platform FAQ.
Benefits of Cross Platform Support For Monster Hunter Wilds Players
The biggest benefit of full launch crossplay is that you don’t have to coordinate with your friend group to all buy the same platform version of the game. I still remember when Monster Hunter World launched, half my friend group bought it on PS4 and the other half on PC, and we couldn’t hunt together for almost two years. You won't have to worry about your friend group splitting because of different console preferences this time around.
Cross-save support is another huge win for players who use multiple devices. For example, you can play on your PS5 when you’re at home on your big TV, then pick up the same save file on your gaming laptop when you’re traveling for work or school. You won’t have to grind for the same armor set or rare monster parts twice, which saves dozens of hours of playtime.
Crossplay also means much larger matchmaking pools for all quest types. If you’re trying to find a group for a high-difficulty endgame hunt at 2 a.m. on a weekday, you won’t have to wait 10 or 15 minutes for enough players to join your lobby. The combined pool of PS5, Xbox, and PC players means you’ll almost always find a full group in under a minute, even for less popular quest types.
There are a few small drawbacks to be aware of, too. Cross-platform lobbies can sometimes have slightly higher latency if players are connecting from very different regions, and PC hackers have been a problem for previous Monster Hunter crossplay updates. Capcom has implemented a new kernel-level anti-cheat system for both PC and console versions to reduce hacking risks in cross-platform lobbies, so the risk of running into cheaters should be much lower than it was for World or Rise.
How to Set Up Cross Platform Play For Monster Hunter Wilds At Launch
Setting up crossplay for Wilds is pretty straightforward, but there are a few steps you’ll want to take before the game launches to avoid headaches later. First, you’ll need to create a free Capcom ID if you don’t already have one, and link it to all the platform accounts you plan to play Wilds on. That includes your PSN, Xbox Live, Steam, and Epic Games Store accounts, depending on which versions you own.
Using your Capcom ID is the only way to add friends from other platforms to your in-game friend list. You won’t be able to search for a friend’s PSN ID if you’re playing on Xbox, for example, so you’ll need to exchange Capcom IDs with your friends to add them to your list. You can link your accounts on the official Capcom ID website right now, so you don’t have to go through the process when the game launches.
Once you’re in the game, crossplay is turned on by default for all lobbies. If you only want to play with people on your same platform, you can turn crossplay off in the game’s settings menu. You can also set lobby filters to only include players from your region, or players using the same input type as you, if you prefer.
If you plan to play ranked hunts (the competitive endgame mode for experienced players), there’s an extra layer of matchmaking fairness in place. Cross-platform ranked hunts will use input-based matchmaking to keep gameplay fair for all players. That means controller players will only be matched with other controller players, and mouse and keyboard players will only be matched with other mouse and keyboard players, so no one has an unfair input advantage.
One important note: all paid DLC, including cosmetic packs and expansion passes, are tied to your Capcom ID, not your individual platform accounts. That means if you buy the deluxe edition upgrade on Steam, you’ll have access to those bonuses on your PS5 version too, as long as both accounts are linked to the same Capcom ID.
At this point, there’s no more uncertainty around will Monster Hunter Wilds be cross platform, and Capcom’s decision to launch with full crossplay and cross-save support is a huge win for every type of player. Whether you’re a casual player who just wants to hunt with friends across different consoles, or a hardcore player who wants to keep their progress synced across multiple devices, Wilds’ cross-platform features are built to make your experience smoother. I’ve already linked all my platform accounts to my Capcom ID and pre-ordered the deluxe edition, and I can’t wait to jump into hunts with all my friends, no matter what platform they play on.